


Tightrope

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s06e16 Drought Conditions, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-25
Updated: 2006-09-25
Packaged: 2019-05-30 13:04:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15097280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Running the risk. Two drabbles.





	Tightrope

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: For IDreamofAJ.  


* * *

She’s framed by white wood and the light in the lobby serves as a halo; she shimmers with unaccustomed and rather startling uncertainty.

In her hand she carries a bottle. 

“You want me to go?”

His head tells him that it’s wrong, that his life is complicated enough without risking his heart. If he lets her in, she’ll see everything, be everything, and if it’s not to her liking, she’ll leave. Then what will he have? Who will he be? 

His heart wins and the door opens wider.

“No.”

She smiles and, as she steps forward, he sees the light.

 

*

 

He opens the door. He doesn’t smile, doesn’t frown and she’s suddenly struck that, in the gloom, she’s misread the signs. She’s never looked a bigger fool, nor had it hurt more.

“You want me to go?”

How does she turn this around? How does she tell him that it doesn’t matter, that there is more to them than a misunderstanding? That she won’t walk away and not come back, she wouldn’t… she couldn’t. He’s more to her than this. 

It’s just that she’d hoped.

“No.”

Relief takes her forward and she brushes his chest with her arm. 

And laughs.


End file.
